From: "Brian Schröder" <ruby.brian@...>
Date: 2005-11-07T16:25:59+09:00
Subject: Re: Retrieving class name in a class method?

On 07/11/05, petermichaux@yahoo.com <petermichaux@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'd like to use the name of my class in a class method. I've tried
> self.class.to_s but that outputs "Class". I've attached my code below
>
> Thanks,
> Peter
>
>
> class Thing
>
>   def self.my_name
>     # I don't want to reference instance method my_name
>     self.class.to_s
>   end
>
>   def self.my_name2
>     self.new.my_name
>   end
>
>   def my_name
>     self.class.to_s
>   end
>
> end
>
> # I want these three lines to output "Thing"
> puts Thing.my_name      #outputs "Class"
> puts Thing.my_name2     #outputs "Thing"
> puts Thing.new.my_name  #outputs "Thing"
>
>
>

That is because the class of a class is class.

$ irb --simple-prompt
>> 12.class
=> Fixnum
>> 12.class.class
=> Class
>> 12.class.class.class
=> Class
>> class A; p self; end
A
=> nil
>> class A; p self.class; end
Class
=> nil
>> class A; def self.a; self; end; end; A.a
=> A

cheers,

Brian

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